.jpg) Iavaroni in 2009 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1956-09-15)September 15, 1956 (age 68) Jamaica, New York, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | John F. Kennedy (Plainview, New York) |
| College | Virginia (1974–1978) |
| NBA draft | 1978: 3rd round, 55th overall pick |
| Selected by theNew York Knicks | |
| Playing career | 1978–1992 |
| Position | Power forward |
| Number | 8, 32, 43 |
| Coaching career | 1992–2013 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1978–1980 | Basket Brescia |
| 1981–1982 | Fulgor Libertas Forlì |
| 1982–1984 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1984–1986 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1986–1989 | Utah Jazz |
| 1989 | Olimpia Milano |
| 1990–1991 | Caja de Ronda Málaga |
| 1991–1992 | Sioux Falls Skyforce |
| As coach: | |
| 1992–1994 | Bowling Green (assistant) |
| 1997–1999 | Cleveland Cavaliers (assistant) |
| 1999–2002 | Miami Heat (assistant) |
| 2002–2007 | Phoenix Suns (assistant) |
| 2007–2009 | Memphis Grizzlies |
| 2009–2010 | Toronto Raptors (assistant) |
| 2010–2013 | Los Angeles Clippers (assistant) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 2,328 (4.4 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 1,725 (3.2 rpg) |
| Assists | 514 (1.0 apg) |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Marcus John Iavaroni (born September 15, 1956) is an American former professionalbasketball player and former head coach of theMemphis Grizzlies of theNational Basketball Association (NBA). He has also served as an assistant coach for several NBA teams.
Iavaroni was a star player atPlainview, New York'sJohn F. Kennedy High School in the 1970s and a teammate ofSeth Greenberg.
Iavaroni, who joined the NBA at age 26 after playing four seasons in Europe, was an important role player as a rookie on the 1983Philadelphia 76ers championship team, where he started 77 games in the regular season. In the1983 NBA Finals, Iavaroni averaged 5.8 points and 5.5 rebounds in a four-game sweep.[1] He later played for theSan Antonio Spurs, where he averaged career-highs of 6.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in 1985, and theUtah Jazz.[2]
Iavaroni also played professionally inBrescia,Forlì andMálaga before retiring in 1992, playing a total of six seasons in Italy and Spain: four after his college career and two following his NBA career.
His coaching career began as a graduate assistant coach at his alma mater, theUniversity of Virginia. Following his playing career, he was also an assistant coach for two seasons atBowling Green State University from 1992 to 1994.
The first NBA coaching experience for Iavaroni came in 1997, when he was hired as aCleveland Cavaliers assistant, working mainly with forwards. In 1999, he moved to the front office of theMiami Heat as director of player development. Since 2002, he served as an assistant toMike D'Antoni at thePhoenix Suns.
On May 30, 2007, Iavaroni was named the head coach of theMemphis Grizzlies.[3] On January 22, 2009, he was fired by the Grizzlies after an 11–30 start to the2008–09 season.[4][5]
On June 5, 2009, theToronto Raptors announced that Iavaroni would become an assistant coach toJay Triano.[5]
On July 17, 2010, theLos Angeles Clippers announced that Iavaroni would become an assistant coach to newly hiredVinny Del Negro.[6] He remained in that role until 2013.
| Regular season | G | Games coached | W | Games won | L | Games lost | W–L % | Win–loss % |
| Playoffs | PG | Playoff games | PW | Playoff wins | PL | Playoff losses | PW–L % | Playoff win–loss % |
| Team | Year | G | W | L | W–L% | Finish | PG | PW | PL | PW–L% | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis | 2007–08 | 82 | 22 | 60 | .268 | 5th in Southwest | — | — | — | — | Missed Playoffs |
| Memphis | 2008–09 | 41 | 11 | 30 | .268 | (fired) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Career | 123 | 33 | 90 | .268 | — | — | — | — |